Thursday, December 6, 2007

The delivery of our "new" fridge and stove was delayed by a snow storm, but they are now up and running. The extra capacity of the new fridge is amplified by the fact that we still have not gone grocery shopping. That made dinner a bit of a challenge. This is a variation of a recipe my Mom sent me a while ago which fit perfectly with the few things we had.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 pkg tofu, cubed

- 1 tbsp oil

- 1 head of broccoli, chopped into florets

- 1 pepper (green or red), large dice

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1" piece of ginger, minced

- 1/4 cup soy sauce

- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce

- 3/4 cup water

- 2 tbsp cornstarch

- juice of 1 lime

- few drops of sesame oil

- 1/2 cup raw cashews

METHOD:

1. Prep the tofu. I made crispy tofu, but you could also press and cube the tofu for a lower fat version.

This sounds like a fantastic combination of flavors and textures! I find that the best recipes are those that come from the inspiration of the moment. Attempting to use up whatever ingredients are around usually results in a simple tasty new creation.

I use raw cashews, which are softer than roasted, but, yes, they do hold their texture (even more so if you roast them). That is why I toss them in at the end so they don't cook too much. They will get softer over time (i.e. your leftovers will not be as crunchy).

Hi Vegan Dad! I just stumbled over your blog during a boring afternoon at work (spent blog-surfing) and I really like yer cookin'! I'm adding your blog to my daily rounds and I'll be checking back often!

I tried this recipe out, and I found that the sauce mixture was much too liquidy. I tried adding only a fraction of it and the result was still very runny and not very sauce-like. I ended up with kind of a soggy batch of vegetables - it was still good, though. Is there something I could have done to make the sauce thicker?

Morsel Kombat: If the sauce is too runny, add more cornstarch (dissolve it first into some water, then slowly add until you get the consistency you want). Usually about 1 tbsp per 1 cup of liquid works out just right (which is the ratio I used here), but you can adjust to suit your needs.

I just made this and it was amazing! I didn't add the cashews however because they aren't the best nut for you. Also, because of lack of ingredients, I didn't add pepper or ginger either. I served the dish on top of brown rice and with some vegetable dumplings on the side. I love your recipes, they are always so adaptable. If I don't have a few ingredients it can always be substituted and still delicious. Thanks Vegan Dad!